The prior art is already aware of various and sundry detent arrangements where a detent member is under the influence of a spring and/or also hydraulic pressure. Isolated examples of this are seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,451,730 and 3,602,245. In the first said patent, a detent means is disclosed as including a shiftable spool having notches therein and a detent member operative in the notches and being under the influence of a spring and also hydraulic pressure. The second said patent also shows a hydraulic spool with the end of the spool being under the influence of a ball type of detent member which is yieldably secured by means of a spring.
Further examples of some form of prior art are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,869,107 and 3,972,264, which have the same drawing disclosure. These two patents show a detent mechanism which is hydraulically actuated whereby the hydraulic system is operative on the detent mechanism which also serves as a hydraulic piston so that the hydraulic pressure can be applied to the detent member and urge the member into securing position relative to a valve spool. In the aforesaid examples, the disclosures are limited to showing valve spools secured by detent members, and those prior art examples are further limited or at least patentably distinguishable from the present invention in several other respects.
Still further, the prior art is already aware of utilizing a pawl member which is movable into operative position with a gear, for the purpose of controlling a gear type of transmission. However that is solely for the purpose of shifting a pawl for securing a ring gear in a gear transmission, and it is not related to a hydraulically-controlled detent member shiftable for securing a gear in position, according to the present invention.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a hydraulic clutch-controlled transmission gear detent system wherein the hydraulic system is utilized for positioning a detent member to secure the transmission gears in the selected shifted positions. In accomplishing this, the present invention does so by simplified and reliable and readily providable means. Also the system for this invention is practical and can be manufactured and installed and utilized for the purpose of providing a reliable and accurate mechanism for securing shifted gears in position in a transmission.
As such, the present invention provides a hydraulic clutch-controlled transmission gear detent system wherein the gears are shiftable on a shift rail, and a detent member is operatively associated between the shift rail and the shiftable gears, and a hydraulic system is utilized for positioning and securing the detent member in the operative position of holding the shifted gears, and the aforementioned system is utilized in connection with the clutch mechanism for a vehicle or the like wherein the power transmission gears are utilized, all so that upon actuating the clutch, the hydraulic pressure is relieved and the detent member is therefore released and the gears can be shifted. Conversely, when the clutch is not actuated, then the hydraulic pressure is applied to the detent member and the gears are retained in their selected positions.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings.